The Fire Dancer
by EKPrazan
Summary: Things are heating up in Arendelle as Elsa and Anna try to adjust to their new lives three months after Elsa's coronation. A series of mysterious fires threatens the kingdom, the cause may be more threatening then anyone realizes. Chapter 4 is now up.
1. Prologue

Hey everyone. Welcome to my new Frozen fanfic, 'The Fire Dancer'. After eight long years I'm finally back in the seat. For now I just have the prologue up, I should have the next two chapters up later this evening. I decided to do some additional edits to them, so if you've already started reading it or already favorited it, my apologies for the inconvienece, but I will have them back up later today.

Anyway, here's The Fire Dancer, I hope you enjoy.

* * *

Prologue

It had started with a spark.

She couldn't remember how long she had stood there, watching as the fire consumed the entire house. All she knew is that at some point she had been in there, surrounded by flame and smoke. She shouldn't have been sitting there now, but she was.

She looked back up at the building, the timbers finally caving in from their own weight. The screaming inside had stopped a long time ago.

Knowing there was nothing more for her here, she stood and turned away. She walked a little ways before stopping, turning to look one last time. She inhaled, taking in one last whiff of the smoke and flame.

With that she turned, and walked away.


	2. Chapter 1: The Scale

Chapter 1

13 years later

It was the sixth building that month.

The once burning wood was now encased in a thin sheet of ice, most of it having melted in the fire, but it had been enough to quench the flames. The new queen had seen to that. Now the work belonged to the cleaning crew as they worked to clear away the debris of what was once a warehouse.

Elsa scanned the building, straining to see if there was any part of it that looked more burnt then any other, a starting point. Her search turned up fruitless, the fire having destroyed too much of the building. According to the buildings owner, it had been empty at the time of the fire. He had been rather upset that the warehouse he just had built was now nothing more than charred rubble, though. On what started the fire, they were both clueless. All Elsa had to go off of was witness accounts, which even those weren't helpful. Most everyone else were either inside or asleep when the fire started.

The young queen stood by as the owner, a merchant, continued to bemoan the loss of his building. "This is getting out of hand!" He said, fiddling with the cuffs of his coat. "It was one thing when they were burning outhouses, but this!" He waved a hand at the remains of his building. "I want someone held responsible for this!"

"I can assure you sir, I'm preparing to have more guards patrolling the streets at night." Elsa said, her voice cool. "Believe me, catching this arsonist is currently my top priority." Somewhat satisfied with her answer, the merchant made a quick nod before excusing himself. Elsa released the breath she didn't realize she had been holding. She looked down, seeing once again the glint of frost at her feet. Glancing around, she draped the hem of her dress over it. Though she was doing better, being around people still made her nervous. Years of hiding away would do that. The stress caused by the fires wasn't helping.

Tension that had been gathering in her shoulders and neck began to creep it's way up. A headache, one of many, threatening to pound around in her skull. Elsa rubbed her eyes, trying to stave it off. She was starting to show her exhaustion. Looking down, she saw the ice around her feet creep further, peeking out from under her dress. That was it, it was time to quit for today. Food and sleep was all she wanted.

Telling a guard nearby that she was leaving, she began to head towards the castle when something on the ground caught her eye. Bending down, she picked it up. In her hands she held what appeared to be a large, triangular piece of... something. It didn't feel metal, but it didn't quite feel like wood either. The closest feeling Elsa could put on it was that of a fingernail, but thicker, and colored a deep, deep blue. Whatever it was, it was of organic origins. She rotated it in her hand, causing the sun to glint off the object. Biting her lip, she slipped it into the pocket of her jacket. Though she didn't know what it was, she had a feeling she knew who would. Food and sleep were going to have to wait, for now she needed to go find Kristoff.

* * *

For the first time in forever, it wasn't the knocking on her door that roused Anna that morning. She had been up rather early, much to the surprise of her attendant. Excitement flowed through her veins. Today was the day. The first party since Elsa's coronation. This time, no nasty surprises, no sudden winters out of season, and of course no princes like _him_. Yes, today would be much better.

The royal dressmaker had dropped off her dress the previous evening. It now hung upon her dress form, awaiting for Anna to put it on later that evening. For now she wore her usual day to day attire, braids draped over her shoulders. No need to put on her nice dress just yet.

Throwing open her door, Anna raced down the hallway towards the stairs. She skidded on the glistening, mopped floor as she made for the stairs. Jumping up, she landed on the railing, sliding down towards the first floor. Almost colliding with a maid upon landing, she shouted a quick apology over her shoulder as she continued on her way. She hoped she hadn't missed him.

He was usually gone before she even woke up in the late morning. She never got to see him until after he returned in the evenings. Today, she wanted to make sure she saw him at least once that day, beings she was going to be otherwise occupied that evening. She burst out the doors, making a beeline towards the stables. She threw a quick glance to where the sled was usually parked, finding it still there. Good, she just made it.

Upon entering the barn, she found him hunched over, working at Sven's hoof with a pick. The reindeer spotted her first, tilting his head to tap an antler on his owner's head. Kristoff looked up to glare at the reindeer, only to spot Anna making her way down the aisle. The scowl turned into a grin, and dropping Sven's hoof, he moved instead to lean over the reindeer's back. "Well, look at you! You're up before noon! Are pigs flying outside?"

"Ha ha, you're hilarious." Anna rolled her eyes. She joined him in leaning on Sven's back, biting her lip around a smile. "I wanted to see you before you left for the day."

"I'll see you later tonight, won't I?" He asked, surprise washing over his face. She raised an eyebrow. "OH! That's right! Your party's tonight isn't it?" Kristoff mentally smacked himself. How could he have forgotten, she had been pretty much _vibrating_ with joy after Elsa had come up with the idea. Not to mention she'd been talking about it for weeks afterward. "Well I appreciate the gesture." He reached up, brushing a stray lock of her hair behind an ear. She leaned her head into his touch as he let his fingers linger against her skin.

They began to lean in towards each other when the soft clacking of footsteps began to echo in the stable. Turning, they found Elsa walking towards them. "Elsa! Good morning!" Anna greeted her sister, running forward to give her a warm hug.

"Anna! You're awake this early? What's the occasion?" Elsa giggled, wrapping her arms around her, holding her close. She never got tired of Anna's hugs. They had almost thirteen years worth to catch up on, after all.

Anna made an annoyed grunt before pulling away, making Elsa giggle. "If you must pry..."

"Oh I must, I must."

"Gerda said I could go with her to get flowers for tonight. Plus, I wanted..." Anna trailed off, shooting a shy glance towards Kristoff. He blushed.

Elsa smiled a knowing smile. "I got it. I'm sorry if I interrupted anything, but you best be going. You know better than to keep Gerda waiting."

Anna nodded. She turned back to Kristoff, giving him a quick peck on the cheek good-bye. "If I don't see you tonight..."

"...I'll see you tomorrow." Kristoff finished, giving her a peck back. With one last smile to the both of them, Anna turned and hurried out of the stables.

Now Elsa turned her full attention to the ice master, a smile on her own face. "Good morning Kristoff." She curtsied, prompting him to bow back. With one hand resting behind his back, the other resting across his waist, he leaned forward into a deep bow.

"Good morning..."

"Remember, sweep your right foot back a bit."

He did as instructed. "...Your Majesty."

She beamed. "Good. Your form is getting better."

"I have a good teacher." He said, straightening.

She blushed. "Sometime in the future I hope to have some more time for your lessons, but with this arsonist..."

Kristoff's brow furrowed. "Don't tell me there was another fire."

Elsa nodded, her eyes skirting away from his to look at the floor.. "A warehouse, near the center of town this time." She reached into her pocket, touching the object she had picked up. "Kristoff, are you in an absolute hurry to get to the mountains this morning?" He shook his head. "Can you take me to see Pabbie?"

* * *

The trees blurred past them as Sven ran, pulling the sled behind him with ease. Elsa tried to not get tossed out, holding on to the sides as tight as she could. As they neared their destination, Kristoff pulled back on the reins. "So why do you need to see Grand Pabbie, your majesty?" Kristoff asked, sitting back.

"First off, it's 'Elsa'," She started with a smile, "second I found something at the warehouse this morning. I can't place what it is, but I think Pabbie might know."

It was a few minutes later when they finally came to the steam vents, Kristoff bringing Sven to a stop just short of them. Jumping out, he came around to Elsa's side, and extending a hand, helped her out. "Such a gentleman." He blushed again.

Following close behind him, Elsa wrapped her travel cloak tighter around her. Not because she was cold, but because memories came rushing back. Her striking Anna in the head. The panic in her parents faces. Fear as they raced towards this valley. It wasn't something Elsa wanted to relive. Her visit today wasn't about Anna or her powers for once. Though it could be for something much, much worse.

Rounding a corner, an assortment of large round boulders greeted them. Kristoff wandered out into the middle and let out a shout as Elsa watched. A deep rumbling followed shortly afterward as the rocks came to life, rolling towards him. Unfurling, one of the trolls let out an excited shout. "Kristoff's home!" With a cheer everyone rushed forward, eager to greet him. Shouts of greeting and gossip filled the valley as they all tried to get Kristoff's attention. Laughing, he finally managed to get them calmed down enough to get in a word.

"Yes yes it's great to see you all, but where's Grand Pabbie?"

Another boulder rolled through the group, coming to a stop just short of the ice harvester. Unfurling, Pabbie greeted him. "Hello Kristoff, how are you my boy? How's Anna?"

"I'm fine, and so's Anna. Ice is all gone from her heart." Kristoff said, a sigh of relief echoing from the trolls surrounding him.

Pabbie smiled. "Good, good, glad to hear it. Though I'm guessing your visit isn't a social call? What can I do for you my boy?"

Kristoff shifted his feet. "Well, it's not what you can do for me..."

"I was the one who wished to speak with you, Pabbie." It was only then did everyone even notice Elsa standing there. Taking a deep breath, Elsa stepped forward, throwing back her hood to reveal her white-blonde hair. Hushed voices surrounded her as the trolls whispered amongst themselves, wondering who she was. From what she could gather, they were thinking she was Kristoff's new girlfriend. She pursed her lips to hide her amusement.

When she reached Pabbie, he bowed low. "Ah, your majesty, Queen Elsa." The trolls confusion turned into complete shock upon realizing who she was, some even bowing out of respect. "And what can I do for you? Any issues with your powers?"

Elsa shook her head. "I think I have that covered." She flicked a wrist, allowing a wisp of snow to form and fall. "I have something I wanted to show you." Kneeling down, Elsa reached into her pocket. "I don't know if you are aware, but we've been having a series of arson's popping up in Arendelle."

"Ah yes, and they've been escalating, I'm guessing?"

Elsa nodded. "Though when I went to go investigate the most recent one, I found this." She took the object out of her pocket, now wrapped in a scarf. She handed it to Pabbie, who proceeded to unwrap it. "I have no clue on what it is. I was hoping you would know?"

Pabbie removed the object from it's wrapping, and gasped. _Well, that wasn't what I wanted to hear._ Elsa thought to herself as he turned the object over in his hands.

The elder troll took a deep breath before he finally began to speak, his eyes never leaving the object in his hands. "Oh yes, yes I know what this is. Though it has been decades, no, _centuries_ since I've seen one. I had hoped I would not see one ever again." He sighed and shook his head, holding it up for the others to see. A collective gasp rose from the other trolls.

Elsa began to get nervous, the air around her growing colder. "What is it Pabbie?"

"It's a scale. A dragon scale."

* * *

The ride home had been a silent affair, Elsa lost in her own thoughts. The scale once again in her pocket. She had hoped that learning what the scale had been would ease her mind, but it had done the exact opposite. If Pabbie was right, they had a bigger problem on their hands than simple arsonist. A nudge against her arm pulled her from her thoughts. She looked up to see Kristoff scanning her face, trying to get a reading. "You okay?" He had felt the chill in the air when they had spoken with Pabbie. He knew what it meant.

She shrugged. "I don't know what I had hoped Pabbie would say. Though I can say, this wasn't what I wanted to hear." She had rattled her brain since they left to try and remember the old stories. The old Norse tales of dragons that she had read as a child. None had come to mind, she would have to do some reading once she got home.

The gates of Arendelle appeared faster than she thought, the walls looming over them. Kristoff once again pulled the reins back, stopping Sven just short of the gate. "I'm gonna drop you off here if that's alright, Your..." A sound of protest from Elsa, "...Elsa."

She smiled, hopping out of the sled, draping her hood over her head once more. "I'll be fine walking from here, thank you Kristoff."

"Hey." Kristoff scooted over on the seat, reaching out to touch Elsa's shoulder. "I'm not quite sure if this helps, but for what it's worth, I think that dragon made a _big mistake _ messing with the Snow Queen."

She smiled. "Thanks."

He smiled at her before she turned towards the gates. "Oh, and Elsa." She stopped and turned. "Get some sleep. You look exhausted." With one last smile, he snapped the reins and was gone, leaving Elsa to stand there dumbfounded. She chuckled after a moment, realizing he was right. Exhaustion was beginning to creep into her limbs. Though she had hoped to do some reading, she knew at this point she wouldn't be able to concentrate on the words. Sleep first, THEN dragons. But the question of the day kept popping into her head the whole walk to her room. How _do_ you deal with a dragon?


	3. Chapter 2: Meet Talia

Authors Note: FINALLY! My edits are done! I'm not touching these chapters anymore! Sorry about that folks, but after I originally posted these I had this horrible nagging feeling that I had left them rather unfinished, so I added somethings. So if you've read these chapters before, please feel free to reread them. I added some stuff that I hope makes somethings clearer. I should have chapter 3 finished and up sometime this week. Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 2

"All ashore!" Talia looked up from her book, surprised. She hadn't even noticed that the ship had even entered the fjord, much less docked. She stood and stretched, rubbing her eyes. Two weeks she'd been traveling. It should have been shorter, if it hadn't been for the storm as they were passing Spain. She had almost forgotten what it was like to have her boots on solid ground.

Shoving her book in her pack, Talia slung the bag over her shoulder and walked towards the gang plank. Pulling a scarf over her face, and pulling her hood down further, she kept her eyes forward. Keeping her from seeing the rude gestures from the crew as she disembarked. She didn't have to worry about the crew messing with her things. She knew that even though rude the gestures were, they were harmless. None of them wanted to have more of their fingers lost to another 'accident'.

Stepping on the pier was the most satisfying feeling. Having something solid underneath her boots, no swaying, no seasickness. She remembered sailing along the river with her family as a child, but the sea was a little more violent than the calmer waters of the Nile. No, solid ground she liked much better. Talia made her way towards town, taking in as much as she could through her hood and mask.

Her comrades in the Order had questioned her need to go so far North. She could not give them a straight answer. A nagging feeling had told her that somewhere up North needed her for some reason. Her Master had made no protest when she requested the trip, and had only asked that she'd send word upon her arrival. That would be Talia's first priority after finding an inn.

Glancing over the town and the surrounding mountains, her eyes caught a pair of guards chatting near the end of the pier. Passing by them, she was able to catch them stare at the sword she had at her hip. Nodding to them in greeting, she draped her robes over her sword to obscure it from view and walked up the steps into the village.

It was almost exactly as she had pictured it. A small bustling town, citizens busy with buying or selling. Wives chattering away amongst themselves, children chasing each other on the cobblestone streets. It was much calmer then the busy markets and bazaars back home. Talia liked it that way. Room to breathe, as her Master would say, nice change from the shoving and yelling.

Walking up the street towards the middle of town, it didn't take her long before a feeling of "not quite right" started up her spine. It had started when she walked past a small group of women near a vegetable stand, talking in hushed voices.

"Another fire?" An older, frail looking woman was inquiring, clutching a basket filled with groceries to her breast.

"Yes, this time Hansel's warehouse!" Exclaimed another, a rounder, younger woman. "The poor man's been yelling and cursing all day!"

"Didn't he just finish building it last week?"

"Yes! That's why he's so mad! Not to mention it's the sixth building this month! Queen Elsa's even started taking a personal interest in the case!" Talia kept her distance, but kept close enough to listen to their conversation. Mention of the queen's name had sparked her interest. She had heard of the famous Snow Queen.

She did not get to hear the rest of the conversation before something bumped into her leg. Thinking it was a child, she looked down. Shock and amazement filled her as she gazed upon the little creature who was now standing at her feet.

It stood for a moment, looking up at her with almost the same look of amazement on it's face. After a beat it broke into a huge grin, waving a little stick like arm and saying a friendly, "Hello!"

It took Talia a good three seconds before she was able to stammer a 'hello' back. She was incredulous to the walking, talking snowman now standing at her feet. He even came complete with what looked to be a little snow cloud above his head. They stood there for a beat before he finally spoke up. "I don't think I've seen you around before. Oh oh oh, you must be new here! Welcome to Arendelle!" He exclaimed, bouncing up and down on the little snowballs he had for legs. Throwing his arms (which Talia now realized actually _were_ sticks) up in excitement. "Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Olaf, and I like warm hugs!"

Talia just continued to stare. Reaching forward, she dipped her hand quick under the little flurry cloud above his head. She caught a snowflake on her glove, just getting a quick second to admire it before it melted into the leather. She glanced around her, trying to gauge the crowds reaction. Nothing. Everyone just went about their business as usual. They were either completely oblivious or completely used the the little snowman walking around. The snowman in question stared back up at her. The grin still on his face, arms spread out in a welcoming pose, before finally gesturing for her to speak. "And you are?"

Talia blinked. "I'm... Talia."

"It's so nice to meet you, Talia!" Olaf reached up to shake her hand.

Snapping to her senses, Talia took a slight step back, bringing her hands up closer to her chest. "It's nice to meet you too, Little One." She made a slight bow towards him. "Though I'm afraid my hugs might be a bit _too_ warm for you."

"Oh." Olaf lowered his hand, a disappointed look crossing his face.

Seeing this, Talia made a snap decision. "Though you might be able to help me." A look of hope crossed his face. "I just got into town. Are you able to point me in the direction of an inn, by chance?"

"Yeah, why?"

Talia blinked, bemused. "I need a place to stay...?"

That did the trick. The wide grin crossed his face once again. "Oh of course! I wasn't think. I can do better than tell you! Come on! I'll show you!"

Before Talia could protest, the little snowman leapt up and snatched one of her hands. With a loud chuckle, Olaf began rushing through the crowd, Talia tailing close behind.

* * *

Brunhilda wasn't a huge supporter of the queen. She found the young woman's abilities unnatural, not to mention dangerous. The incident at the coronation that summer was not something she was going to forget any time soon. Same with many others in Arendelle. So when the queen's little minion waltzed in to her inn dragging a stranger behind him, needless to say she wasn't thrilled.

They had requested that the snowman's new friend, whom revealed herself to be a young woman, have a room there at the inn during her stay. Brunhilda had scoffed. She had no intention of filling this little abomination's request. Especially since his new "friend" seemed rather shady, if only for the weapons she carried.

That tune changed when the younger woman presented her with a small pouch of pure gold coins. Enough to feed the innkeeper's family for several months.

Talia and Olaf later left the inn, the former twirling a room key in her hand. "Olaf," Talia said after a few minutes walking, "was it me, or was that innkeeper being a little hostile to you?"

"Oh that's normal." Olaf said, waving it off as Talia tucked the key into her pocket. "Not everyone likes Queen Elsa for some reason."

"Oh? Not much love for the Queen, then?"

Olaf nodded. "I don't know why. Elsa's the nicest, gentlest, most welcoming person ever!" He said, wrapping his stick arms around himself in a hug. "I mean, she made me after all!" Talia shrugged and stretched her shoulders. She was glad she had dropped her bag and sword off in her room before they headed back to the ship. The rest of her gear was going to be heavy enough, even with the help of her horse and Olaf. Though she wasn't one for company save for a choice few, Talia was rather enjoying that of the snowman. He reminded her of a child, with his continuous positive attitude and inquisitiveness.

As they turned a corner, Olaf stopped and glanced over to a building on their right. Talia, curious about what had caught his attention, stopped and looked up. She froze. There in front of her was the charred skeleton of what appeared to be a warehouse, smoke still wafting from it's burnt timbers.

"Oh man, another building? This is the sixth one! Hope the owner has insurance." Olaf joked. But Talia didn't hear him. Her eyes were wide, locked on the building, her body gone completely rigid. The faint echoes of screams, pleas for help filled her ears, imaginary flames danced in her eyes. The screams continued to get louder and louder, until a sharp tug on her arm snapped her out of her trance. Startled, she looked down to see Olaf gripping her hand, looking up at her, concerned. "Talia, are you okay?"

She shook her head to clear it. Looking at the building again, she saw only a burnt out husk. No flames. No screams. "Yeah..." She said after a moment, her heart beat going back to normal. "I'm fine." She gazed over the building before her eyes settled on a beam nearby. Though scorched black, what looked to be a thin layer of glass covered the wood. Talia walked forward, peeling a glove off as she did so, stretching her now bare hand towards the timber. Upon touching it, Talia realized that the beam wasn't covered in glass, but ice. She ran a hand over it, reveling in the coolness and sleekness of it. She broke off a piece to admire it further, but to her dismay, the piece melted in her hand almost immediately. Talia tugged her glove back on, hoping Olaf did not see.

She turned back to the snowman, who was now watching her with intent. "Talia," he started, prompted by the look of confusion on her face, "have you never seen ice before?"

Before Talia could reply, a loud yell sounded out nearby. Turning, she noticed a group of large men surrounding what looked to be two women huddling close to each other. _Uh oh_. She knew that body language, all too well. The yell had also gotten Olaf's attention. Looking towards the commotion, he made an angry 'Hey!' before making a mad dash towards them. Talia groaned. "I'd better go stop him before he hurts himself." She said aloud, jogging after him.

* * *

This wasn't exactly how Anna had hoped the day would go. It had started out fine enough. She and Gerda had been successful in getting the flowers they needed, so they had decided to linger about. Even though the gates were now opened, Anna still never quite got the chance to go and explore. So beings she was out, she decided to take the opportunity to do so. They had time. What didn't quite go as planned were the five large men that now had them pinned against a building.

"Well well well. Look wot we 'ave 'ere boys. Perhaps this young lady would like to have some fun with us, eh?" The largest, and ugliest, had said, scratching the stubble on his scarred chin. "What d'ya say, girlie?"

Anna backed up as far as could go, trying to shield Gerda behind her. "Get...get away from me!" She stammered, shoulders squared. She tried to make herself seem bigger, but that was a moot point. These guys were bigger than even Kristoff. Though what she wouldn't give for Kristoff, or even Elsa, to be there right now.

The man laughed, prompting his buddies to do the same. "Aw don't be like that, we only want to have some fun!" With that he reached out, grabbing Anna's wrist in a tight grip.

"Let go of me!" She mustered all her strength, trying to pull her arm free. All it succeeded in doing was making him grip tighter. "I said let go!"

"Hey!" Anna looked up, eyes widening in horror as she recognized the little snowman rushing towards them. "You leave Anna alone!" Olaf skidded to a halt just short of them. All five men now all stared at the little snowman.

The man holding Anna let go out of shock. Regaining his composure, he rounded on the snowman. "Well look 'ere, boys! A little freak show, courtesy of the Witch Queen of Arendelle!"

Anger boiled in Anna's blood. Before she could stop herself she found herself shouting, "Don't you dare talk about my sister like that!"

This got their attention again. "Your sister?" The man burst out laughing. "You ain't no princess! You're too plain lookin'!" Those words hit Anna like a ton of bricks. Sucking in her lip, she took deep breaths to keep herself from crying.

Olaf saw the moisture gathering in Anna's eyes. Not a lot of things made Olaf mad, but someone making Anna cry was one of them. He was almost steaming. "Hey! You apologize to _Princess Anna_ right now!"

"Or you'll wot?" One of the other thugs rounded on him, his buddies turning to do that same.

The fire that had ignited in the little snowman died. He gulped. "Wow, you're... big..."

"Is there a problem gentlemen?" All turned as one to see a figure walking towards them. They were slight in build, their face covered in a hood and mask. Armor and robes made with what looked like white leather covered their body, accented with red and gold.

The largest man stiffened. "Oy, I remember you." He lifted his left hand, pointing. "You're the one who took me fingers off!" It was then that Anna noticed the bloodied bandages wrapped around that same hand.

"Yeah! The little bloke from the ship!" A thin rail of a man nodded. "But look Brutus! He ain't got his sword on 'im this time."

Brutus, the large man who had grabbed Anna, grinned. "Why, you're right Bill. No sword. Can't be that tough now, ain't ya?"

The figure crossed their arms. "Didn't your mother ever tell you that it's not nice to insult people?"

Olaf scooted closer, tugging on their robes. "Talia I _really_ don't think that was such a good idea." He whispered, his eyes never leaving the seamen.

"Olaf, shush." Talia whispered back. She then turned her full attention back to the men. "I'm giving you five seconds to apologize to her highness AND her friends."

"APOLOGIZE THIS!" Brutus surged forward, pulling his arm back. With a mighty thrust, he sent his fist flying straight towards Talia's face. It hit empty air.

Before his fist could reach her, Talia had dropped to the ground, just missing it by a few inches. Dropping backward, she threw a leg out, catching Brutus's own behind his knee. If punching empty air had surprised him, it didn't come close to the surprise of being knocked off his feet. He hit the ground hard. Talia used the spin of her kick to propel herself back up onto her feet. "Don't say I didn't warn you." She said, stepping over his still form.

This didn't sit well with the others as two others surged forward. One punched out as Brutus had, but instead of ducking, Talia moved to the inside of him, grabbing his arm as she did. With a twist of her body, and using the force of his punch, she pulled down, flipping him over her shoulder. His legs kicking his comrade in the face as he flew forward. _Three down_. Straightening, she turned to face the last two, only for a hand to grab her by the throat. "Not so tough now ain't ya?" Bill said, pulling a knife from his belt as his hand tightened around Talia's throat.

"Well... this won't... do... will it..." Talia choked, her own hands tightening on his wrist. Two seconds later Bill let go, falling to his knees after having Talia's knee make contact with his stomach. Talia staggered back, coughing. Rubbing her throat, she noticed the last guy rushing towards her. With a rebel yell, he reached out for her. She ran forward as well, and pushing off Bill's bent over form, leapt up, swinging her legs forward. Her body flew over his arms, allowing her legs to wrap around her neck. Swinging her body, she forced him forward and down, throwing him to the ground. The momentum smashed him into the cobblestones, where she landed on her feet.

Anna and the others stood in awed silence. Within several seconds the stranger had knocked five large men to the ground without so much as a second thought. All five were now crawling on the ground, trying to get their bearings. After a moment, several of them finally got to their unsteady feet. "Gentlemen." They looked up to see Talia walking towards them, arms crossed. "I would like to let you know a little secret." She moved closer. She almost loomed over them as they tried to straighten or pick themselves off the ground. "A lady will never start a fight. Yet..." She reached up, and ripping her hood off her head, allowed long black hair to cascade over her shoulders. "...we can, and _will_, finish them!"

Jaws dropped in shock as the men realized what had just happened. A woman. They just had their behinds handed to them by a _woman_. The rest of the crew would never let them hear the end of it. Scrambling to their feet, they made a hasty retreat, yelling back threats and slurs. Talia only sighed. "Idiots..." Slack jawed stares were there to meet her when she turned around.

Olaf was the first to speak. "Wow Talia, that was amazing! I didn't know you could do that!"

Talia smiled at the little snowman. "Why thank you, Little One."

Anna was trying to process what she had just saw, but so far she was having some difficulty. This woman, whom was only just taller than Anna but with similar build, had just taken down five large sailors. All without breaking a sweat. She studied the young woman who now stood before her. She couldn't have been much older than Elsa, with shoulder length straight, black hair. A long, thin braid peaked out from the bottom of her hair, and her face covered in part by long bangs. When she brushed them away, Anna saw brilliant green eyes, made to seem brighter against olive skin.

After a few moments, Anna finally found her voice. "That... was... AWESOME! Oh my gosh! Those guys were huge, and you took them down! How are you even real?"

The sudden outburst took Talia aback. Chuckling, she reached up and ran her fingers through her hair. "Oh, well, it's not really that hard." Her mask had fallen off when she pulled her hood down. The faint hint of a blush began to show on her cheeks. "Besides, those guys may look tough, but they're all talk." She looked straight at Anna now, green pools piercing. "Now are _you_ okay?"

Anna nodded, the look of amazement still plastered on her face. "Yes, thanks to you, Miss...?"

"Oh, forgive me Your Majesty. I am Talia." She bowed. "I just arrived from the South only a few hours ago. Unfortunately it was on the same ship as those idiots." Talia jerked her thumb behind her, pointing past the crowd that was now starting to form around them. "Speaking of which, I'd better get back to the ship, I still need to get my gear..."

"Oh! You should come to the castle with me! I would love for my sister to meet !" Anna butted in, stepping closer.

Talia took a step back out of instinct. "Thank you, Princess Anna, but I really need to go retrieve my gear."

"Also, your majesty," Gerda finally spoke up, tapping Anna's shoulder, "we need to get back. Your sister expressed that she wanted you back before it got too late. Your ball..."

Anna jumped. "Oh man, I almost forgot!"

"That sounds like my cue." Talia began to back away, giving one final bow. "I hope you enjoy your ball, your highness. Olaf," she said, acknowledging the snowman with a nod, "it was wonderful meeting you. To you all, a good day. Until we meet again." Before Anna could say anything more, Talia spun on her heel and disappeared into the crowd.


	4. Chapter 3: Nightmare

Chapter 3

_Elsa stood in the middle of a deep wood, unsure of where she was. She looked around to find herself surrounded by huge trees, the ground cast in shadow. All around her was still, no birds chirped, not even the leaves moved. Before her eyes, flames engulfed the forest, enveloping all around her. In a panic, Elsa ran, trying with all her might to outrun the inferno. But the fire was faster. It soon surrounded her._

_Reaching out, Elsa tried to extinguish the flames with her powers. To her horror, no ice came. Staring at her hands in disbelief, she looked up to see a figure in the flame, a silhouette in black. Elsa tried to back away, only for the figure to change shape. What once was a human figure turned into a great monstrous head, with piercing green eyes, and a gaping maw with razor sharp teeth. It's throat glowed as it opened it's mouth, moving towards her. Elsa shut her eyes, the heat of the fire burning her cheeks. With a roar, the beast unleashed a stream of fire. Elsa screamed._

**KNOCK KNOCK**

"Queen Elsa? Queen Elsa!"

Elsa shot up in her bed, heart racing. Glancing around, she relaxed upon finding she was in her room. A thin sheet of ice covered her bed, crackling as she swung her legs over the side. She shook her head, trying to clear it from the nightmare. It had been awhile since she had one, not since her coronation. The fire was new though. She looked up at the clock that hung on the wall. She had only been asleep for two hours.

The knocking at her door came again. "Your Majesty?"

"Yes Kai! Sorry, I'm here." Elsa rubbed her eyes.

"Sorry to disturb you ma'am," Kai continued through the door, "but you had asked for me to find some books in the library for you?"

Confusion crossed her face before finally she remembered. "Oh, yes of course." She stood to go open the door, only to find the floor was slick with ice as well, creeping up along the walls and furniture. "Ah, Kai, if you could please just go ahead and leave them by the door? I'll get them in a minute. It's a bit...slippery in here."

A moment of silence before Kai spoke again. "Your Majesty are you alright?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine." Elsa replied.

"It's just that... I can see ice under the doorway..."

Elsa's heart skipped a beat. It reached the hallway? "I'm fine." Elsa declared, her voice gentle but firm. Her Queen voice, Anna had called it.

A sigh from the other side of the door. "Very well. I'll leave the books just outside. Lunch is almost ready, would you like to eat in the dining hall...?"

"I will eat in my room if that is alright, I have some reading I need to do." Her eyes glanced around her room, a slight quiver in her voice as she spoke. She had a feeling she was in no shape at the moment to be around anyone, at least not until she calmed down.

Kai stood on the other side of her door, hands balled into worried fists. He had been one of the few servants who knew about Elsa's powers when she grew up. He knew well that if she had iced her bedroom on accident something had made her nervous or upset. How many times had he seen it happen? He inhaled through his nose. "Very well. I will return shortly with your tray." A soft 'thank you' was her only reply. Turning, he started down the hall. He only stopped once to take one last worried glance at the door before continuing to the kitchens.

Elsa waited until she could no longer hear Kai's footsteps before opening the door. Kai had been right; her frost had entered the hallway, though only a few inches. That still didn't make Elsa feel any better. Of all the times she froze her room, she had never reached the hallway. The issue with the hypothetical dragon was bothering her more than she thought. She looked to the right to see the small pile of books sitting where Kai had left them. Snatching them up, she retreated into her room.

Crossing the room to her desk, she deposited the books before going towards her fireplace. She needed to thaw her room. Elsa knew how to do it herself now, but the trick required a warm heart, her's was cold with worry. Soon a fire roared, the crackling of timbers creating an odd sense of calm in Elsa, despite current events. Opening her window to allow warm air from outside to help the thawing process, she returned to her desk. She stopped just short to look at the dress that hung on it's form.

Her ice dress glittered in the light emanating from the fireplace, a rainbow of oranges, yellows, blues and whites. She hadn't worn it in quite awhile, restricting it to special occasions. It had been at the suggestion of Kai, who thought that her Snow Queen dress, though beautiful, was a bit too flashy for day to day wear. After some debate, Elsa realized he was right. She now more often wore clothes like what she had worn before she was Queen. Dresses in hues of blue with jackets, though now sans gloves, and with a bit of Elsa's own icy flair. Brooches still a favorite accessory.

She reached up and touched the brooch she wore at her neck. One of her mother's, found when Elsa and Anna had gone through old trunks that previous summer. What would her parents say about her current predicament? What would they do? They had known about the trolls of course, would they have gone to them like Elsa had done? Sighing, she sat at her desk and flipped open the first book.

Her body had other plans than reading. Kai knocking at her door again woke her about twenty minutes later. Blurry eyed, she was still able to see that the ice had melted, so she granted him permission to enter. "You can go ahead and set it on the desk, Kai." Elsa pointed to an empty spot on the desk, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She turned to see him studying her. "Yes?"

"Ma'am are you all right?"

Elsa jerked at the question. Turning her head, she looked at the full length mirror near her wardrobe. Her whole being just looked tired. "No no, I'm fine, I just... didn't sleep well last night is all."

"Are you sure?"

One look at Kai's face told her he wasn't buying it, but she didn't want to discuss it right then. "I'm fine." She used the voice again. She hated to have to use the voice like this. "I'm sure a little more rest and some food is all I need."

Kai pursed his lips but didn't press the issue. "Very well, ma'am, but I did want to remind you that in a few hours you should start getting ready."

"Ready?"

"Your ball tonight?"

"Ball? Oh right yes of course. Thank you, Kai." She massaged the bridge of her nose. "That will be all for now."

The man bowed. "Very well ma'am." He turned on his heel and headed for the door, Elsa's voice stopping him.

"And Kai?" He turned, Elsa's tired eyes meeting his. "Thank you." A small, but appreciative smile crossed her face.

He smiled back. "Get some rest, Elsa."

* * *

Talia dropped her bag hard on the floor, her shoulders aching. Why on Earth did she bring so much gear? Chances were good she wouldn't be needing it. The words her Master had always chanted echoed in her head. _Always be prepared for anything, Talia._ He had said so many times while she was growing up. _You never know what challenges life will hand you._ She hoped he meant gear wise, otherwise she would have felt rather foolish. Talia had planned on making several trips. Though when she had gotten back to the ship, she had found the crew from earlier trying to torment her horse. Key word being 'trying'. All they had succeeded in doing was getting one of them bit. She decided it was best that she took all of it at one go. Laheeb hadn't been too thrilled with the load. She had at one point regretted not asking Olaf if he still wanted to help when they parted ways. Yet having the little snowman continue to follow her around wasn't the best of ideas. Especially since he had ties to the Royal Family. Never the less, they had gotten her things to the inn in one piece.

One case in particular had pleased Talia that it made the trip from the boat to the inn okay. She laid the case on the bed, giving the worn leather a pat of affection. Perhaps later she will practice, but for now, she needed to write a letter to her Master and send it before the Postmaster closed for the day. Pulling a small roll of parchment from her bag along with a quill and ink, she sat at the desk provided. Dipping her quill into the ink, she began to write:

_Master,_

_I have arrived in Arendelle with little incident. It is a quiet village. From what I was able to gather from the few hours I have been here, nothing much happens. Though save for the incident we heard about over the summer involving the new Queen._

Talia stopped for a moment, thinking back on the conversation she had heard in the square that morning. That feeling of unease returned, sending a shiver down her back.

_Though, I have heard whisperings of a series of fires that have destroyed several buildings in just under a month. No one knows who, or what, are causing them. I have a bad feeling, Master. I will investigate further. I hope it will be nothing._

She thought back to Olaf and Anna. The ice encasing the burnt timbers of the warehouse.

_As for the new Queen. I have not laid eyes upon her yet, though I did get a chance to meet some acquaintances of her's. Allow me to tell you what I have learned about the Snow Queen of Arendelle..._

* * *

Anna raced down the hallway towards her sister's room, servants stepping quick out of her way. Anna was never one to go slow. Why walk when you could run, right? Skidding to a stop just outside Elsa's door, she reached up and knocked. "Elsa?" No sound came from inside. Anna's brows furrowed. That's weird, Kai had said Elsa would be in her room. She knocked again. "Elsa!"

Now she could hear rustling coming from the other side of the door. A thud of something hitting the floor, a small curse. Then a mumbled reply. "Yes? Who is it?"

Anna blinked in confusion. Shouldn't Elsa know her voice? "It's Anna."

"Oh Anna, sorry... Give me a moment." A few shuffling noises later and Elsa opened the door. Anna was a little taken a back by the way her sister looked. Her hair was a mess, long strands falling out from her braid. Dark circles were under her eyes, and she had wrinkles in her dress. "Sorry, I was napping. Your voice didn't register right away." Elsa said, stiffling a yawn. "What's up?"

Anna just stared. "Are you okay?"

Elsa sighed. That seemed to be the favorite question of the day, now didn't it? She inhaled through her nose. "I'm fine, just didn't get a lot of sleep last night is all." She smoothed her skirt. "Now what's new in the world of Anna? Have fun getting flowers with Gerda?"

This seemed enough to prompt a change of topic in Anna, who immediately got excited. "Oh yes! It didn't take long at all! I even got to go explore more of the town!"

"Well that sounds nice." Elsa turned back towards her desk, the remains of her half eaten lunch still sitting in the corner where she had left it. Putting the cover back on it, she turned back to Anna. "Anything exciting happening in town?" She immediately regretted the words, remembering the burnt warehouse. The last thing she wanted was to talk about it again right now. Forcing a smile, she waited for Anna's response.

Anna's eyes were wide now, a grin the size of the North Mountain on her face. "Oh my gosh! Yes! Okay, so Gerda and I were walking around the village right? When these HUGE guys suddenly cornered us!"

Elsa straightened. Though it wasn't about the fires, this story still wasn't going in a direction she liked. "Cornered you?"

"Yeah! I mean these guys were _big_, bigger than Kristoff big. They started acting all tough and whatever, and I tried to tell them off. Then Olaf comes out of nowhere! Oh Elsa you should have seen him trying to act all tough! It was so cute! Anyway, so Olaf tries to get them to leave me alone, only to have them gang up on _him_..."

"They ganged up on Olaf? Is he okay?"

"Yes, pay attention! Then anyway, this girl shows up, and oh man, Elsa! She whooped them!"

Elsa blinked. "Excuse me?"

Anna's smile got, if possible, even bigger. "She beat them up! She couldn't have been bigger than me, but she beat up five big guys! She didn't even use weapons! Just her body! It was amazing! You totally had to see it!"

Elsa just stared. Well it was better then the conversation she thought they were going to have. "She beat them up?"

Anna nodded. "With her bare hands!"

Elsa blinked. "And who, pray tell, is this mysterious wonder woman?"

"Oh, she's not from around here." Anna waved her hands. "She said she was from down _south_, I think? She didn't look local. She said her name was Tanya? No. Tasha? No, _Talia_! That's it! Talia. She might be Greek, or something? I dunno. All I know is she can kick some serious butt!"

"Well," Elsa giggled, relieved that at least Anna was all right. "She definitely sounds interesting. Shame I couldn't meet her."

"Well, I wanted to bring her back to the castle to meet you, but then she remembered she still had to go get her gear from her ship and Gerda reminded me we needed to back for the ball..."

Elsa jumped. "The ball! I completely forgot! How much time do we have before we need to be ready?" She shot a look towards her clock.

"About two hours?"

Elsa relaxed a bit, fatigue once again setting in. "Okay, good. I think I'm going to lay down for another hour. Could you or Kai wake me after that?" Anna nodded. "Good. Why don't you head down stairs and check up on the preparations?"

Anna nodded again, taking another good look at her sister's face. "Elsa, are you sure you're okay?"

Elsa made a soft laugh. "I'm fine, I just need some rest. I'll be rested and ready to go by the time the ball starts." Anna smiled and, hugging her sister, raced out of the room and down the hall.

As soon as Anna was gone, the smile faded from Elsa's face. With a wave of her hand, she caused a cold wind to blow, shutting the door. She nestled into the soft blankets of her bed, fatigue enveloping her. Closing her eyes, she immediately fell into a deep sleep.

_She once again found herself in the deep wood, as she had the previous few times she had slept. Everything was the same. The same dark, dead trees. Same shadows, though now they bounced off what looked to be fresh fallen snow._

_Elsa started walking through the dead wood, not wanting to in the middle of the woods again. She had made it a good twenty feet before a strong wind blew from behind. It lasted for only a second before dying down. She looked up to see the tops of the trees sway, realizing that the gust that had blown had not been from wind. Frightened, she ran, a loud roar piercing the air around her. The trees once again burst into flame, forcing her to continue._

_Elsa finally stumbled into a clearing, the flames surrounding her. Once again she threw her hands out in front of her, and once again no ice came. She tried again and again, all in vain. She whirled around, frantic, trying to find a way out. She stopped, her gaze settling upon a shadow in the flames, growing larger as she stared. A growl shuddered through the flame, shaking Elsa to her core. She held up her hands, trying to shield from what was to come. The flames shot out at her, surrounding her. She let out a scream. As the flames began to obscure her vision, she caught one last look at the shadow before her. To her surprise, she did not see the shadow of a dragon. She instead saw that of a woman, with piercing green eyes._


	5. Chapter 4: The Ball

Trigger Warning: Blood mention

* * *

Chapter 4

Anna slid down the railing and through the hallway, racing towards the ballroom. The servants had been working all day to prepare for the ball, and their hard work paid off. Anna could only gasp in delight at the progress they made.

The floors shone, washed and polished till they reflected like a mirror. The buffet table was laden high with hors d'oeuvres and desserts of all kinds. The flowers that Anna helped get were now arranged in vases around the room. Intricate ice sculptures also accompanied the vases, wrapping around them like ivy. Anna wondered if Elsa had made them in what little free time she seemed to have. She made a mental note to ask later.

The ball had been Elsa's idea. In an attempt to try and keep relations with neighboring countries strong, she had decided a party was the best option. Since the last one ended on a bit of a sour note, she hoped this one would help clear the air. The noise of excitement Anna had made had almost been inhuman, and loud. Kristoff had mentioned he could hear it all the way in the barn. The ringing in Elsa's ears finally subsided two days later. After a flurry of sending invitations and receiving RSVPs, the preparations began.

Watching as the servants continued their tasks, Anna could feel a bubble of excitement build up inside her. She was almost bouncing out of her skin as she watched, imagining herself waltzing on the dance floor. As she imagined, the images in her mind began to turn into memories. Horrible memories from the previous party began to seep into her mind. Her excited bounding turned into nervous shaking. Spikes of ice shooting up from the floor towards her chest, the image of Elsa running across the freezing fjord. A memory of a man with dark red hair and trusting green eyes. Those same eyes turning cold, harsh words escaping his lips. Her heart cold and her body shivering as she lay abandoned on the library floor. She shook her head, trying to erase the images from her mind, to erase the sound of his voice. _Tonight is going to be perfect!_ She thought. _It's got to be!_

She twisted her fingers, a nervous habit, as she looked around the ballroom. Turning, she looked out the windows, towards the mountains. To where Kristoff was. Deep down, she couldn't help but wish that he was there too. Alas, chances were good that he would be in the mountains over night. No sense coming home when she wouldn't be around to greet him like she usually did. It wasn't like he would have been able to attend anyway.

Anna shook her head again. No, she was going to have a wonderful time, with or without Kristoff. No more keeping secrets from her, no more having to dance with the Duke of Weselton, and no more princes like _HIM_. With a new sense of determination, she bounded up the stairs to get ready.

* * *

Light and chatter filled the ballroom when Anna came downstairs an hour or so later. Guests had arrived while she had gotten ready, already busy greeting and chatting with each other as they waited. Anna looked around, making a note of which dignitaries were there that she knew. There weren't many, as the events from the last time prevented her from meeting anyone. She stood off to the side, keeping out of sight until it was time for Kai to announce her and Elsa's entrance. This time, she promised herself, no awkward running to her spot.

Where was Elsa?

Panic started to set in as Anna remembered how her sister looked that afternoon. Was she not feeling well? Did she oversleep? She was battling with herself on whether to run upstairs real fast when Kai appeared at the front of the room.

"Ladies and gentlemen, presenting Queen Elsa of Arendelle." All eyes shifted to the opposite side of the room. A murmur of excitement echoed through the crowd as Elsa appeared. Anna's jaw dropped. Whatever signs of exhaustion and dishevelment that Elsa wore earlier were gone. Her hair was up in an ornate bun, refined yet still wild. The bags under her eyes were gone, covered in make up that lit up her whole face in a warm glow. Her back was straight, making her look as regal as she should.

Yet her dress looked rather normal, much to Anna's surprise, and mild disappointment. It was not much different from the dress Elsa wore at her coronation, only in varying shades of blue. A long, white cloak trailed behind her decorated with a crocus flower, the symbol of Arendelle. There were hints of Elsa's talents. Snow motifs decorated the bodice, and upon her head sat a beautiful crown of ice. It was her hands that held Anna's attention the longest, though not out of awe, but of continued disappointment. There, covering Elsa's hands were a pair of snow white gloves.

Anna was so surprised by her sister's appearance that she almost didn't hear Kai announcing her own entrance. Hiking up her skirt, she half walked, half ran towards the front. _Drat!_ Smiling at the crowd, she mentally smacked herself. _I really need to work on that._

The crowd clapped and returned to paused conversations, allowing the two sisters a moment to observe the room.

They stood in relative silence for a few seconds before Anna finally spoke up. "Big crowd tonight."

"Yeah, bigger then I originally thought." Elsa agreed. "You look beautiful by the way."

Anna looked down at the gown she was wearing. It was almost exactly like the gown she had worn at Elsa's coronation. Though this time in more muted hues of green., and sleeves due to the chilling autumn air. "Thank you. You look amazing! Though, I thought..."

"That I was going to wear my ice dress?" Elsa finished, a small smile crossing her face. "I decided it wasn't really... _appropriate_ for tonight." _That and I'm just not ready._ "Besides, some countries are still a bit...edgy about my powers. I figured it was probably a better idea not to go completely Snow Queen tonight." _Hell, _I'm_ edgy._

"Yeah, you're probably right." Anna shrugged. She looked at the crowd. Elsa was getting several looks from the guests, and whether they were in curiosity or caution Anna couldn't tell. "Besides, it's not like you can't show off your powers later if you wanted to." Something must have shown on Elsa's face as Anna rushed to add, "If they ask, I mean! I mean, a totally planned, CONTROLLED show of your abilities. Not that you're NOT controlled. I mean, you're the complete opposite! You're totally, TOTALLY under control." Anna finally forced herself to clamp her mouth shut. _Stupid stupid stupid..._ She had been absolutely flabbergasted that Elsa had even suggested a party at all. Chances were good her big mouth just made Elsa begin to regret making the suggestion in the first place.

Elsa reached up and rested a hand on Anna's shoulder in reassurance. Anna looked up, returning the smile that her sister gave. There was something in her touch though that was a bit off. It wasn't the feel of fabric that she should be feeling from gloved hands, instead they were icy cold. Looking down at them, she finally noticed how they caught the light. _Ice, they're made of ice!_ Elsa noticed Anna's gaze, and raising her fingers, wiggled them so they caught the light more. "Fashion choice, nothing more." Anna forced a smile before returning her attention to the crowd. She decided against commenting further. _At least they're made of ice._

"Drink, madame?" A voice sounded next to her. Startled, Anna turned to find herself looking into empty air. She wondered if she had heard things until a tugging on her dress prompted her to look down. Standing next to her carrying a small tray of champagne was Olaf, sporting a rather dashing little vest and tie. "Look Anna! I get to help!" He bounced, causing the glasses on the tray to clink against each other.

"Olaf!" Anna laughed. "Don't you look handsome!"

"Thank you! Kai found these for me!" He tugged at the vest. "Elsa said I could help tonight by being a server!"

Anna turned to her sister. "Oh did she now?"

Elsa shrugged, a playful smile on her face. "I figured it wouldn't hurt. Besides, I figured what better introduction to my powers than through a happy and helpful snowman like Olaf." _Not to mention harmless_. She kept that last thought to herself.

A grin broke out on Anna's face. Maybe Elsa wasn't so nervous about her powers like Anna thought after all. She turned back to Olaf. "Come on Olaf, let's go introduce you!" Taking his free hand, Anna led him out to the crowd. It took almost all Elsa had to try to hide the nervousness in her eyes as she watched them go.

* * *

The evening had been going, if Elsa dare say it, rather well, much to both the sisters delight. Olaf had been a hit, Elsa had lost count on how many compliments she had gotten about him. There had been little to no talk about her powers, save for commenting on Olaf, her crown, or even the ice sculptures. Anna had been correct in guessing that Elsa had made them. Elsa dared to hope that the evening was going by better then she had thought it would.

She now stood near the edge of the room, engaged in conversation with the French and Spanish dignitaries. Out the corner of her eye, she watched Anna dance with a young man from Germany. The young man had been so nervous in asking Anna to dance that Elsa had to stifle a small giggle as he fumbled his words. Both suspected his true goal was to court the princess. Pity to have to dash his dreams. Elsa was working too hard on teaching Kristoff to let anyone else butt in. Not to mention she knew too well that Anna would never abandon Kristoff. Elsa smiled as she watched Anna dance before returning back to her conversation.

The song ended and Anna excused herself from her dance partner to get something to drink. Grabbing a glass of punch, she was about to return to the floor when she overheard voices speaking low nearby.

"She is gorgeous of course, though pity of her abnormality. It's no wonder her parents never were able to marry her off." A thin, bird like man scoffed, his eyes trained on Elsa. "It would be nearly impossible to find a husband for someone like her, beauty or no."

Anna's blood boiled. How dare they speak of her sister like that! Setting her cup down hard on the table, she moved to scold the man. The sound of his companion's voice stopped her.

"There's still the Queen's sister..." He began.

The bird-man sighed. "Yes, this is true. Shame she's so _plain_ looking."

The man's words rang in her ears.

"_You ain't no princess! You're too plain lookin'!"_

Her heart caught in her chest, tears threatening to break loose.

"Did you hear she's being courted by an ice harvester? And her sister allows it! Must be desperate to marry her off. Not many proposals for an unremarkable princess. I bet he's only courting her for the money."

"_Oh Anna, if only there was someone who loved you."_

Tears stung at the corner of her eyes, teeth digging into her bottom lip, biting hard enough that she could taste blood. _No, Kristoff loved her! He rushed to get to her when her heart was frozen! He tried to save her!_

_But has he said it? Has he said himself that he loved her?_ Another voice asked.

No, he didn't need to. She knew. She wanted to yell, draw attention to the men and their shallowness. She opened her mouth to do just that, only to feel a cry building up in her throat. Eyes blurry, she bit her lip again and ran out of the room before she completely broke down.

The men had turned just as Anna turned away and ran. They had been oblivious to her being there, much less to her listening to their conversation. They weren't aware that someone else noticed Anna running. Nor were they aware that particular person was now standing right behind them. They didn't notice until the temperature in the room dropped several degrees.

* * *

"**But why can't we go see Anna?"**

"Because Sven, Anna's busy having fun at her party."

The streets were empty as Kristoff and Sven navigated towards the castle, a rather sad looking load of ice in the back of the sled. The weather had been rather warm in the mountains, especially for October. The ice had not frozen quite as thick as previous years. If anything, it seemed as though it was thawing.

Kristoff shook the thought from his head. Chances are he was worrying over nothing. Winter would come (through Elsa's help or no) and the mountain lakes would freeze as they always had.

Sven looked back at him now, a pleading look in his eyes. Kristoff knew what Sven wanted, the reindeer's wants mirrored his own. He wanted to see Anna. **"Why can't Anna at least come out and say hi?"**

"Sven, she's probably busy making nice with the visiting nobles. That's the point of those parties." Kristoff glanced off to the side to notice a young 'person' in white robes watching them with a rather curious look on their face. "Besides, you and I have the whole day off tomorrow, I'm sure you'll see her all day then."

Sven made a sound of resignment, quickening his pace as they neared the castle. Though there would be no Anna tonight, a warm stall and mash was always welcome.

Talia stood watching the sled shrink as it moved away. _Was he just having a conversation with his reindeer?_ She wasn't one to judge, holding conversations with Laheeb was a daily occurrence. Though she never had to provide his speaking voice. She let his facial expressions do that.

A loud growl broke her from her thoughts. Looking down, she put a steadying hand on her rumbling belly, reminding her why she was out in the first place. She looked about the empty streets. This late in the evening, most vendors had closed for the day, already home with their families. There had been a meal prepared back at the inn, but due to it's contents, she had no choice but to refuse it. Pork stew was not exactly _halal_. She even requested just plain bread and cheese, but the innkeeper's reply had been quite curt. _"You eat what we give you or starve."_ Talia had no choice but to take the latter. The coins she had given were only enough to guarantee the room and stall during her stay. This made Talia believe she had definitely over paid. Civility from her hostess would most likely cost her more.

Her eyes roved for a tavern, her stomach continuing it's chorus of gurgles and growls. A flash of green caught the corner of her eye. Turning towards the alley way where she saw it, she was able to catch sight of a hulking shadow moving away.

Her hunger forgotten, Talia moved towards the alleyway with caution. Grateful she had decided to bring her sword with her, she gripped the hilt. A twinge ran down her spine as she neared the back of the alley. Something definitely was not right. An object crunched under her boot. Something had smeared a streak of blood over the cobblestones, down another alley that ran next to the one Talia stood in now. Lifting her foot, she studied the green object that lay cracked and broken on the ground. She didn't have to wonder what it was for long. Years of experience told her that. Talia looked up to where the blood trail led. Shadow blocked the other alley, obscuring her vision, but she could just make out something moving at the far end.

Steeling herself, without looking away from the shadows, Talia drew her sword. Saying a quick prayer, she surged forward into the darkness.

* * *

It amazed Kristoff how routine everything had become in the past three months. The small nod of greeting from the guards as he entered the castle gates. The difficulty of opening the ice chute near the kitchens, the quick way he had to move his limbs out of the way before the hatch snapped shut. The way Anna's horse nickered a greeting as he settled Sven into his own stall for the night. On a normal night, Anna would be there too, greeting him with her usual exuberance. Throwing herself at him, arms around his neck, legs around his waist, pulling him into a tight, full body hug. After saying their good nights, Kristoff would then ascend to his quarters above Sven's stall. Tonight was not shaping up to be normal.

Kristoff was hanging up Sven's harness when he heard the sniffle. He looked about, trying to find the source of the sound. His eyes landed on the stall where Anna's horse lived. He shot a confused look at the horse, Niord, whose only response was a jerking of his head towards the stall itself. Kristoff stepped forward, leaning over the stall door to look inside. There, sitting on a gnawed hay bale, was Anna. She was still in her ball gown, though it was now dirty and rumbled from sitting in the barn. Her hair, once done up in ribbons, was now starting to become loose from it's braids and bun, glinting gold in the dim light. His attention was more drawn to the look of her face. Her make up ran down her cheeks in dark streaks, her cheeks just as puffy and red as her eyes.

"Anna?"

She jumped at his voice. "Kristoff! I – uh – I didn't think you'd be home tonight!" Anna tried in vain to wipe the tears away. She only succeeded in smearing her make up more.

Kristoff let himself into the stall, motioning for Anna to scoot over. As she did so, she turned her face away from him, staring at her hands. He watched her for a few seconds before finally breaking the silence. "Anna, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing." She didn't look up.

"It doesn't look like 'nothing'."

Anna sighed, shoulders sagging. "It's just... something that some of the dignitaries were saying..."

"What were they saying?" A reassuring hand now lay on her shoulder.

She sniffed. "They were talking to each other... I don't think they knew I was standing there... They said... They said I looked too plain... That no one would want me because I'm not beautiful like Elsa." Anna wiped her nose. "And it wasn't just them either. When I was out with Gerda this morning, a sailor flat out said I couldn't be a princess because I 'was too plain lookin'." She flicked her fingers up in quotes.

Kristoff scowled. "What do they know? Obviously they need to get their vision checked." He had hoped that would at least get a small smile out of her, but the upset frown stayed plastered on her face.

"That's not all..." _Oh boy._

"What's not all?"

"They were saying things about us." _Darn._

"What were they saying about us?"

Anna sucked in her lips, steeling herself. "They said that because I was so plain looking, I haven't been getting any proposals. That Elsa was desperate to marry me off." Oh Lord... "That you don't really..."

"Now wait just a minute!" Anna jumped at Kristoff''s sudden outburst, finally tearing her eyes up from her hands to look at him. "Do those idiots even know me? Do they even know _you_ that well?" Taking her face in his hands, he brought his own close enough that their noses were almost touching. "I adore you, and no stuck up, short sighted noble _numbskull_ should tell you any different!"

Anna just sat and stared, stunned at Kristoff's outburst. The look on her face must have triggered something because Kristoff jerked away. "Oh uh, sorry, I – uh – didn't mean to yell that right in your face... I just..." He stammered, the blood rushing to his face. Anna just continued to stare at him until she couldn't help herself. She burst out laughing. She laughed so hard new tears started forming in her eyes, running down her face as Kristoff watched.

After finally calming down enough to speak, it was Anna's turn to take Kristoff's face in her hands. "You are the biggest goob I've ever met!" She laughed again, kissing the end of his nose. "But thank you for making me feel better."

He smiled back. "You're welcome, and in this humble ice harvester's opinion, I'm staring at the most beautiful girl in the world."

Anna's face became redder, almost causing her freckles to disappear. _Well, it's not 'I Love You', but it's just as good._

Kristoff brushed his nose against her's. "May we?"

"We may."

* * *

Elsa poked her head into the art gallery. She knew that when ever Anna got upset growing up, she always took solace there. It was one of the few things Elsa knew for certain about her sister. To her dismay, the room was empty, only the unseeing eyes from the portraits stared back. Where was Anna?

Elsa had spent the better part of an hour trying to locate her sister after the latter had run from the ballroom in tears. She had spent the other part of that hour berating and humiliating the two men who made her sister cry. Elsa had been the main source of Anna's misery for the past thirteen years. Like hell she was going to let some stuffy nobles cause her misery now. Their faces had become beet red from embarrassment when the entire room turned it's attention on them. Though if they wished to escape the stares of their peers, they would have to wait until the ice had melted. Elsa had then left them stuck to the ballroom floor for continued scoldings from the other dignitaries. She needed to find Anna.

Anna's room and the library turned up empty. Same with Elsa's study, the parlor, the music room, and the kitchen. Elsa was just about to head towards the gardens when she looked out the window towards the stables. She could see a faint light glowing from the far end, where Sven and Kristoff's quarters were. _Kristoff is home? Maybe Anna is with him._ Elsa pondered, changing her course.

Stepping out onto the veranda, she battled with herself on whether to go in or just call out. Considering previous incidents where she walked in on the two, she decided on the latter. "Anna?"

* * *

Anna almost didn't hear Elsa calling out at first, being a little preoccupied. It had been a rather long while since the two of them had been able to be alone like this. Perhaps the sound of her sister's call was her imagination?

Nope.

"Anna?"

With a groan Anna pulled away, a look of mild disappointment crossing Kristoff's face as she did so. A look of annoyance spread across her own. "Why is it whenever you and I get some alone time..."

Kristoff sighed. "She's probably just worried about you. You did look really upset."

Elsa's call echoed through the barn.

"I'm just going to ignore her."

"Anna." She glanced at him, catching the stern look he was giving. "Answer her."

She groaned again. "Fine..." She got up from her spot on Kristoff's lap, smoothing down the skirt of her gown. Moving out into the aisle where she knew Elsa could hear her, she called back. "Yes, Elsa, I'm here!"

Elsa sighed in relief. Anna didn't sound sad, just a bit annoyed. She had definitely interrupted something. "I know you're upset, but would you please come back inside? I have two gentlemen who would like to apologize."

Anna blinked. Elsa heard them too?

"Anna, please?"

She sighed. "Alright, I'll be there in a minute."

"Take your time!" Elsa called back. "It'll give these gentlemen some time to 'cool off'."

Anna froze. Did Elsa mean what she thought she meant? It took her a second to realize that there had been a mischievous hint in Elsa's voice at the end. Anna stifled a laugh. But Elsa wasn't done.

"They were way too uptight. I think they needed a minute to just 'chill'." That did it. Elsa heard a loud "HA!" come from the stables, accompanied by Kristoff's deep chuckling. Satisfied, she turned to enter the castle before something caught the corner of her eye. Elsa turned, looking in the direction of the gardens. She had sworn she had seen something moving in that direction. The trees and hedges swayed in the autumn air. Just the wind. She decided, entering the threshold of the castle.

Anna was still giggling as she finished smoothing out her dress. "Nice to see Elsa coming out of her shell a bit." Kristoff stated as he tried to smooth down his hair (and failing).

"I know right?" Anna reached up to try and fix her own hair. "I guess I should head back inside, huh?"

"You probably should." Kristoff agreed. "Tell you what. I don't have to go into the mountains tomorrow. Why don't we spend the day together? Just the two of us?" An annoyed snort came from Sven's stall. "The _three_ of us?"

Anna perked up. "Really?"

Kristoff nodded. "Really, really."

She beamed, rushing forward and throwing her arms around him. "It's a date!" Kristoff smiled and nuzzled his nose in her hair, causing her to giggle. "Goodnight Kristoff."

"Goodnight Anna."

"**Goodnight Anna!"**

"He he, goodnight Sven!"

A nicker. "Goodnight, Niord. Sorry we were making out in your stall." The horse replied with a snort of indifference.

The two pulled away enough to look at each other before pulling themselves together again for one last heated kiss.

They parted a few seconds later, whispering one last 'goodnight' before Anna finally pulled away.

Making her way back to the castle, feeling in a much better mood then before, Anna couldn't help but sway a bit in a dance, humming to herself. A whole day tomorrow with Kristoff. Nothing could ruin her night now.

The sound of scraping behind her caused Anna to stop in her tracks. It was consistent, like someone dragging something along the cobblestones. It was the low growl that followed that finally caused Anna to turn and look. Upon doing so, she immediately wished she hadn't.

Elsa had just laid her hand on the ballroom door handle when she heard Anna scream. Followed by a deafening roar.


End file.
